Robert Burns wrote the poem that became the song “Auld Lang Syne,” often sung at New Year's celebrations.
The Scottish poet Robert Burns sent a version of “Auld Lang Syne” to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788. The title means “old long since” or, more naturally, “for old times' sake.” Its lyrics ask whether old friendships and memories should be forgotten, making it especially suitable for a transition between years.
Burns's text drew on older Scottish words and traditional material, rather than being created entirely from nothing. The melody used today became closely associated with the song through later musical publication and performance.
Although the song is strongly linked with midnight on December 31, it is also used at farewells, graduations, memorial occasions, and other endings. The words are often misheard or shortened, but “Auld Lang Syne” is not the title of a separate countdown ritual; it is the name of the song itself.